CSymposium 1 “East Asian Community and Intercultural Studies”

ommentator
Towards Recovery:
A Message to East Asia
from Japan’s Tourism Industry
Hiromi Tagawa
President and CEO, JTB Corp.

I would like to express my appreciation for this op-

started to reappear. At the WTTC Global Travel andportunity to participate in the Special Symposium of theTourism Summit in Las Vegas this May, the Japan-

Japan Society for Intercultural Studies. I will be present-China-Korea summit, and the Japan-China-Korea

ing “Towards Recovery: A Message to East Asia fromTourism Minister Summit, I made an appeal to the world

Japan’s Tourism Industry.”
The recent Great East Japan Earthquake was a dis-to facilitate tourism exchange for our country and forthe tourism industry.

aster of unprecedented magnitude, and influenced theFurthermore, during Japan’s extended holiday

tourism industry to a degree that I had never before ex-called Golden Week, Japanese consumers are starting toperienced. In addition to direct damage to sightseeing

show signs of recovery from the disheartening effects

areas, sluggish demand for travel due to a general moodof the earthquake. As the cherry blossoms start to bloomof self-restraint, a similar restraint from firms for hold-in April and the seasons start to change, Japanese haveing international conferences, events, and business trips,

started to realize that they cannot go on this way forever.

and the reluctance of foreigners to visit Japan due to theThinking of the victims of the disaster, they have notnuclear disaster have thrown the entire tourism industry

been eating out or going on trips, living their lives qui-into a grave situation. Under these circumstances, hand-etly hoping not to get in the way of reconstruction ef-in-hand with restoration of the disaster-struck areas, re-forts. Believing tourism demand will increase, we atcovery support based on the “power of travel” is being

JTB are putting every effort into introducing a fullstrongly promoted by the industry made up of the public

lineup of long-stay offerings for the upcoming summer

and private sectors come together. Since mid to latevacation.

April, there has slowly started to be a relaxation of re-In this way, the Japanese tourism industry is mak-quests issued by foreign governments to postpone oring steady progress, but incoming tourism is a different

cancel trips, and tours of inspection from abroad haveproblem. On this topic, I’d like to ask a request of all of47

Towards Recovery: A Message to East Asia from Japan’s Tourism Industry

you gathered here today. I would like to ask you to use

tourists visiting Japan, while the purpose of their firstwhatever influence you have in spreading accurate in-trip is often shopping, further trips show a need to ex-formation about Japan around the world. In actuality,

perience the country’s nature and history. The various

rumor has led people around the world to think “all ofcountries of Asia show increased maturity in both travel

Japan is dangerous.” While the area around the nuclear

as well as travelers. The desires of travelers are quickly

accident has been evacuated, everyday life for people inevolving. I am hoping to make Japan a place where local

say, Tokyo, has not been affected. Energy saving meas-

culture-sightseeing can be a model for the people of allures are in effect, but the trains are running on schedule.

of the Asian countries.

This is the true situation in Japan now, which I hope you

Next, the “power of exchange” is “contributing tounderstand and which I hope becomes the basis forthe realization of a safe and peaceful society throughmany tourists to decide to visit our country.

mutual understanding and friendship between countries

And now, I earlier mentioned the “power of travel,”and regions.” There can be no question that the power

but do you know the “five powers of travel”? Theof travel shows great potential for deepening mutual un-“power of travel” is made up of the “power of culture,”

derstanding between countries and regions. What is nec-

the “power of the economy,” the “power of health,” theessary for this to come about is for countries and regions“power of education,” and the “power of exchange.” I

to value the others’ cultures highly. First, one must know

believe that our present theme of mutual exchange in a

one’s own region. Know the history and the traditions

united East Asia can especially be encouraged throughfrom the past that are apparent in everyday life. At thatutilizing the “power of culture” and the “power of ex-point, conversing together will lead to respect, and mu-change.”tual understanding will deepen.

First, the “power of culture” is “contributing to theIn this way, I believe that a deepening of mutual re-discovery, nurture, and preservation of the history, na-

spect of culture through the “power of travel” will maketure, traditions, art, scenery, and lifestyles of a diversity

a unified East Asia possible at the popular level. And toof countries and regions.” Previously, even in Japan, theencourage this, each region needs to lovingly polish up

uniform group tour was mainstream as far as sightseeing

their lifestyle traditions. Then, they must be properly

and tourism was concerned. But the Japanese lifestyletransmitted. This will make the different regions of East

has changed to that of great diversity, and it is not so

Asia attractive places for cultural exchange, and East

much that everyone has his or her own preferences, but

Asia itself will become a sphere of cultural exchange.

rather that each person will have many different inter-Lastly, recovery after the Great East Japan Earth-ests. This has led to a recent increase in demand for trips

quake will require long-term measures. We at JTB in-

where one can enjoy the treasures of each region oftend on helping on a global scale so that we can create

Japan, such as the abundance of nature, the culture

an attractive area that visitors will want to experience.

springing from daily life, and history – in other words,

We wish to assist in building bridges between the dif-

trips where one can come into contact with the culture

ferent regions of Japan and the rest of East Asia, as wellof the region. Rather than unordinary experiences,

as in making East Asia into a “sphere of cultural ex-

super-ordinary experiences are in demand. And thischange.”

trend looks to be getting even stronger. For Chinese

48

Thank you for listening.